Causes I Symptoms I Treatment I Recovery time I Physiotherapy I Self Help Advice
Bell’s Palsy is currently considered the leading disorder affecting the facial nerve. Bell’s palsy is a condition that causes temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles in one side of the face. It is the most common cause of Facial Paralysis.
It usually results from a dysfunction of the cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) causing paralysis of one side of the face. The very peculiar feature of this condition is a rapid onset of partial or complete paralysis that often occurs overnight. It is named after Scottish Anatomist Charles Bell (1774-1842) who first described this condition and hence the name – Bell’s Palsy.
What is the main cause of Bell’s palsy?
Bell’s palsy is believed to occur when the nerve that controls the muscles in your face becomes compressed. The exact cause is unknown, although it’s thought to be because the facial nerve becomes inflamed, possibly due to a viral infection. The herpes virus is thought to be the most common cause but other viruses may also be responsible. Some conditions considered to be related to it are:
- Brain tumors,
- Ear infection,
- Extreme cold exposure,
- Herpes zoster infection,
- Mumps etc.
All about Bell’s Palsy Treatment
What is the best way to cure Bell’s Palsy?
When you face weakness in the face, meet your physician/Neurologist immediately. The treatment for Bell’s Palsy may include one or many of the following:
- Medication :The first line of treatment is usually medication to reduce inflammation of the facial nerve and Antivirals (if it is related to herpes infection). Steroids have been shown to be effective.
- Physiotherapy treatment for Bell’s Palsy may consist of facial massage, exercises, acupuncture and electrical stimulation.
- Surgery : The third line of treatment is surgical intervention, which in most cases should be the last option when all else fails to help.
How long does it take for Bell’s palsy to go away?
The extent of nerve damage determines the extent of recovery. Improvement is gradual and recovery times vary.
Most people with Bell’s palsy will make a full recovery within nine months. There are ways to accelerate the process and reduce the chance of complications. However, if you have not recovered by this time, there is a risk of more extensive nerve damage and further treatment may be needed.
It is amazing how timely intervention of an appropriate regime can help the affected patient. “I was facing problem with facial expressions when I came to ReLiva. I had immediate recovery ever since I came here. I could smile properly after the very first session. A lot of changes have come till today. And now I feel confident once again,” says Mr. Mukesh Jain. He suffered from Bell’s Palsy and saw a ReLiva physiotherapist after the incidence and was delighted with the fast recovery he made with the treatment.
Can Bell’s Palsy go away on its own?
Even without treatment, more than 80 percent of people with Bell’s palsy start to get better within three weeks. An early sign of improvement is often the return of taste. Some studies show that treatment can shorten Bell’s palsy duration and improve symptoms. Physiotherapy2 including tailored facial exercises, acupuncture to affected muscles, massage, thermotherapy and electrical stimulation have been used to hasten recovery.
How can physiotherapy help to cure Bell’s Palsy?
Physiotherapy has been known to be successful in a big number of Bell’s Palsy cases.
- Physiotherapy includes muscle re-education exercises and soft tissue techniques to prevent permanent contractures of the paralyzed facial muscles.
- It helps to maintain the muscle tone of the affected facial muscles and stimulate facial nerve using Galvanic/Faradic Electrical Stimulation.
- Physiotherapy is also helpful in reducing pain with the use of various pain relief modalities.
At ReLiva we can assess, treat and monitor your condition from the acute onset of Bell’s Palsy through the various stages of recovery. Our Physiotherapists will follow the standardized 4 step ReLiva process to identify your goals and aim to restore facial muscle strength and symmetry, and help to stimulate facial nerve and maintain muscle tone and improve their co-ordination and range of movement.
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How can I treat Bell’s palsy at home?
Here is some self -help advice for managing Bell’s palsy
- You should take care when eating not to bite the inside of your cheek or lip.
- Check that your cheek and gums are free of food after eating.
- Try use both sides of your mouth to chew food thus encouraging the muscles on the affected side to work.
- Sometimes your speech may be affected. You may find giving your mouth a little extra support from your hand while you talk will ease this at times.
- If the muscles around your eye are affected you should take particular care to remove dust from your eye. You can imitate blinking by gently closing your eye with your finger tips.
- Glasses may be useful to protect against dust particles when you are outdoors.
- You may need artificial teardrops to cleanse your eye.
You are invited to book a session with one of our clinics at ReLiva Physiotherapy & Rehab for Bell’s Palsy rehabilitation exercises and advice. Our Physiotherapy experts will surely help you to “Smile”, “whistle” and “Express” yourself all over again!
What are the early signs of Bell’s palsy?
The symptoms of Bell’s palsy vary from person to person. The weakness on one side of the face can be described as either:
- Partial Palsy, which is mild muscle weakness
- Complete Palsy, which is no movement at all (Paralysis) – although this is very rare
Few other symptoms of Bell’s palsy also include:
- The eyelid and mouth, making it difficult to close and open them
- Paralysis of one side of the face causing inability to close the affected side eye, loss of whistling, frowning, lip protrusion. In other words, “loss of expressions”
- Loss of sensation in the anterior 2/3rd of the tongue.
- Excessive lacrimation (tears)
- Upward & outward movement of the eyeball when patient attempts to close his eyes. This is called as Bell’s Phenomenon.
- Some people even experience tingling in face, pain, moderate to severe headache, memory and balance issues.
- In rare cases, it can affect both sides of a person’s face.
Who gets Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s Palsy is a rare condition that affects about one in 5,000 people a year. It is most common in people aged 15-60, with 15 to 44 year olds experiencing the highest incidence But people outside this age group can also suffer from the condition. Both men and women are affected equally. Bell’s palsy is more common in pregnant women and those with diabetes and HIV, for reasons that are not yet fully understood. YES! Babies can be born with facial palsy but this condition is more common in Adults.
You are invited to book a session with one of our clinics at ReLiva Physiotherapy & Rehab for Bell’s Palsy rehabilitation exercises and advice.
Ask for a call back by filling the form below or call us at +91 99209 91584 and we will connect you with a ReLiva physiotherapist to quickly get you pain-free and you can get back to your daily activities in the shortest time possible. Our Physiotherapy experts will surely help you to “Smile”, “whistle” and “Express” yourself all over again!
This Bell’s Palsy article is contributed by Dr. Carol Johnson (PT). Dr Carol is a Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. She is very popular among her patients for her positive demeanor and effective treatment. She can be found at one of the ReLiva clinics.
Scientific References:
1. The neurologist’s dilemma: A comprehensive clinical review of Bell’s palsy, with emphasis on current management trends; Anthony Zandian, Stephen Osiro, Ryan Hudson, Irfan M. Ali, Petru Matusz, Shane R. Tubbs, Marios Loukas
2.Physical therapy for Bell’s palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis); Teixeira LJ, Valbuza JS, Prado GF.
ReLiva provides Physiotherapy services at fully equipped clinics in 14+ cities across India. Find a physiotherapy clinic near you
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